BAC Forum
General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: William Harmon on July 11, 2016, 01:26:41 AM
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Tachometer sometimes reads accurately at low RPM's but as RPM's increase the tachometer will peg out or become jumpy and erratic. Turning on the lights helps somewhat but not the answer. I appreciate any suggestions for this problem as it is quite annoying and possibly damaging to the gauge. Thanks in advance. William
2003 Contessa
Cummings 370 ISL
3 Slides 40 ft.
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William,
I think the tach may be fed by a small wire on the alternator T terminal, or a sensor on the engine. It would seem that you are getting noise on the line (extra pulses) that diminish with load on the alternator. I would try and find out what sensor feeds the tach, check the connections to see that they are tight and clean and that the tach has a good chassis ground. If there is a tach manufacturer they may have trouble shooting help. Sometimes a filter capacitor may help pass electrical noise to ground at the tach but I would hope the cap value and recommendation would come from the tach manufacturer.
Later Ed
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William,
I believe that the problem you described is fairly common on you model coach, and I think that BCS (Beaver Coach Sales) has a cure for the condition. So I would call Ken Carpenter or Sean at BCS service department tomorrow and see if they can lead you in the direction of a quick fix.
Gerald
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Had the same issue when we purchased or Contessa. This is what fixed it for me it was about $40 two years ago. Got it off of ebay but is also available elsewhere. SIEMENS VDO AUTOMOTIVE Part # V9999502490 Carin FMXX Signal Coupler RV Motorhome.
Jim
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Just looked it up and it is now $46 with free shipping from the same distributor I purchased from 2 years ago.
Jim
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Thanks ED, Gerald and Jim for your input on my Tachometer problem. I made a call to Ken Carptener (BCS) today but have not heard back from him on a quick fix. Depending on what Ken has to say, I will probably order the Carin Signal Coupler. I will advise you as soon as I get it working. Thanks again, William
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Jim,
Did you install your Carin/FMXX signal Coupler yourself or have it installed. I just received mine from Siemens VDO Automotive but with limited instructions. I need to know where it is located on your coach and some step by step installation instructions would be very much appreciated.
Thanks,
William
2003 Beaver Contessa
40 ft. 3 Slides
Cummings 370 hp
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I did the install myself. I will try and shoot a few photo's where I mounted it and see if I still have the instructions. I should have them but may have just used the label on it to hook it up. It was about two years ago and was the first thing I fixed after purchasing the coach.
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If you would prefer, you can send pics and any other info to my email address (brylar@swbell.net). I think my Contessa is a Tuscanny also. I'm glad to correspond with another owner whom has the same year and model Beaver. Maybe I can help you in the future.
Thanks for your assistance,
William Harmon
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William,
Been a busy weekend working on our new Beaver House so it will be taken care of when not using. Still working so unfortunately we don't get to just take off regularly. I sent you my description of the install to your email you provided.
Jim
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Update on progress of tach. I did hear back from Ken Carpenter (BAS) and he advised no quick fix for my tach problem but he did switch me to the Parts Dept. and they advised they have fabricated a filter for most coaches. Since Jim has a like coach to mine I went with the filter he installed with good results. Jim provided photos of the installation and excellent comments which made the installation straight forward. Only the Signal wire had to be cut and spliced into the filter. The filter's ground and power wires were connected to the tach. All seemed to be going well until I turned the key on and observed no response from the Volt meter and the row of lights above the Volt meter and fuel gage. Also a buzzer continues to sound. Checked the air pressure and both the red and green hands on the gage show 110 PSI. Also, verified all slides are closed and Levers are all in up position. Diagnostics with engine running shows 14.3 volts. Tachometer is now rock solid up to 2200 RPM's but with the coach stationary. I'm not going to drive coach until I can get the above problems corrected. All help appreciated. Special thanks to Jim and each of you for your advise.
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William,
A good start would be to disconnect the filter and hitch back up the way you were temporarily and see if this is an interaction with that filter and the dash items that are not working. If so I would try the BCS filter given they have probably already been there and through trial and error have found a solution.
If someone has already put the effort in to invent the wheel, no sense in you spending your time chipping away stone on the Flinstone Mobile when you could be out having fun....
Later Ed
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I have disconnected the filter at power,ground and signal but buzzer continues to go off and volt meter and lights above volt meter inop. Is there possibility a fuse or reset responsible for what is going on??
Thanks,
William
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Upon studying the owners manual there may actually be a fuse that is affecting the indicator lights and may also be why the buzzer and volt meter are not working. The panel is located in the battery compartment its called a chassis fuse panel and the fuse that may be the problem is FH1. Its a 15amp and provides the power to the service center indicators. I am quite sure the filter is not the issue. I will say that after owning my coach the voltmeter did quit and has been replaced but 1 1/2 years after my filter install. If you have the owners manual it is on page 353. If you don't I have it on digits and can send to your email.
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William,
What Jim is saying makes sense, for some reason you seem to have lost some power to the dash and that can also cause an alarm condition, just because the proper voltage is not present where it is needed to be to satisfy the alarm limits.
Assuming you find the source of the voltage loss and it is a fuse, then replace it and check and see if everything is working. You will still have the tach issue.
If so, then remove the fuse and install the filter as before, double checking that the wiring was/is correct given for some reason you blew a fuse with the install. Then replace the fuse and see if all is well. If the fuse blows just with the filter in place, then it is miswired or it is defective. Your choice would be to get a second replacement filter and try it or try the BCS version.
Later Ed
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Unable of find the Chassis Fuse Panels in the Battery compartment. Can you provide exact location in Battery compartment? It must be hid. Thanks
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I do have my 2003 Contessa Owners Manual and looking at page 353 but no fuse panel can I find in battery compartment.
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Just went down and took me a few but finally located the fuse panel. Looking at the battery compartment it is located on the outside rear side behind the fuel filter above the muffler. I have attached a few photos.
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Thanks Jim for taking time to find the fuses and sending photos. This is pretty amazing the way they are located in individual cacons. I was looking inside the battery compartment and had no idea they were located where they are. Have you ever checked or opened these things? Its getting close to sunset here but I think I will try to locate the 15 Amp fuse before dark. I will advise my findings as soon as I know. May be tomorrow. Thanks, William
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Looks like it will be tomorrow AM before I can check the fuse. Had 2 calls that took time. Wondering if I could pry the outer shell off with a screwdriver or twist it. I don't want to damage it as it may be difficult to replace. Your thoughts?
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Looked to be just a rubber dust/moisture cover that just pulls off and exposes the fuse. I did not mess with it just located and took the pictures. I will be home early tomorrow taking ours out for the weekend. I still check my e mail while traveling and also visit this site daily.
Jim
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William,
Those black plastic pieces are indeed sealed dust covers. There is a plastic tab that locks over a small wedge of plastic, that ends up centered in the tab when it locks closed. Take a light and look closely at the design of the tab. Basically you lift the tab until it releases the locking wedge and pull the cover straight up and off to reach the fuse. If this locking arrangement looks confusing or difficult to see take a photo of it with your phone and then enlarge it, either on your phone or a computer to get a close up of the locking tab arrangement. That should make it clear how it will all come apart. I use a small screwdriver to lift the tab to release the cover.
This seems a long ways away from the dash to cause the issue but you never know until you check it out. Hope this helps.
Later Ed
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Well, not what I had wanted to report. My volt meter shows 15 amp fuse has continuity. Visual appearance of fuse looks good. Any suggestions on next step would be appreciated. Not giving up easily.
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William,
I think you've lost a ground not a fuse. The signals to turn on the dash lights above the gauges are all separate but the ground is common. The alarm you are hearing is probably the low air alarm since it also gets its ground from the dash. The ground line also feeds the dash fuel and voltmeter gauges.
For a diagram, go to the coach link section in Private Member Only section and look at Page 10 of Part 4 of the 2003 Marquis wiring diagrams.
Steve
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Thanks Steve for providing me with the instructions on viewing the schematic for my Contessa dash instruments. I assume the dash layout the 2003 Marquis is the same as the 2003 Contessa. Due to extreme heat and humidity in Southern Oklahoma, I haven't got to dig in until today. I did find a White wire not attached from circuit 211 (ignition wire ) to post 1 of the Volt Meter. I re-attached the wire and now the Volt Meter is working but not real sure where the Red wire from the lights above the Volt meter attaches. The row of lights above Volt meter still inop. and buzzer still goes off when ignition is on.
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William,
Per the diagram the red wires to the 2 light banks above the voltmeter each drive a single light. They each go thru a butt splice and then to connector C26. Thus I don't think a loose red wire is causing the the 2 banks to be inoperative. If you can get the # off the red wire, you can figure out where it is supposed to go from the diagram.
Check to see if there are any other white wires that are supposed to be connected to the voltmeter gnd terminal. The diagram indicates there should be at least 3; the ground supply, a ground wire to the fuel gauge, and a ground wire(s) to the light banks above the gauges.
As to the alarm, if you haven't already, start the coach and let it run until the air gets to operating PSI. If the alarm quits, it is probably OK.
Good Luck, Steve
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Finally, I think I have good news to report. The red unattached wire was re-attached to pole G of the Volt Meter per the schematic but all the same problems still persisted. I moved the red wire to the Ignition Power circuit and things cleared up including the alarm. Maybe I misread the schematic but I did not think initially it should be moved and I was concerned I may damage a circuit. What are your thoughts on this?
Thanks Steve, Ed and Jim for staying with me on this problem. Your help has been invaluable and I learned a lot about wiring. Took the coach on a 20 mile test in 100+ temperatures and all systems performed as they should. Ready to hit the road to the high country.
William
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William,
Good for you, if it is all working I do not think anything was damaged with the wiring "experiments".
Later Ed
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William,
Glad you found the problem. After what you related, I see where Ign Pwr is needed for some of the lights that apparently provide a gnd signal to illuminate the indicator. The Ign Pwr 12V takes a circuitous route but supplies 12V to some of the indicators in all 3 banks. We all learned something.
Glad we could help some.
Steve
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One final note on the initial problem(Erratic Tachometer) the filter is working perfect after 20 miles. Thanks jim
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Your welcome and don't hesitate if something else should arrise. Enjoy the high country I'm looking foreward to my future longer travels once retired.